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Quick answer: Gamblin oil paint is a professional-grade, American-made oil color line from Portland, Oregon, known for pure pigments in refined linseed oil, no unnecessary fillers and a strong focus on studio safety. The easiest way to try it is the Gamblin Artist Oil Colors Introductory Set of 37 ml tubes. Landscape and marine painters may prefer the curated Gamblin Seascape set. Whatever you buy, pair it with Gamsol odorless mineral spirits, Gamblin’s solvent. On a tighter budget, Winsor & Newton Winton is a lower-cost student-grade alternative.
Gamblin Artist’s Colors was founded by painter Robert Gamblin in 1980 and has become one of the best-known American oil paint makers. Painters tend to talk about three things when they discuss Gamblin oil paint: the color itself (pure, saturated and consistent from tube to tube), the company’s work on safer studio practices (Gamsol and solvent-free mediums) and its range of modern products such as fast-drying matte colors and alkyd mediums.
This guide explains what makes Gamblin distinctive, which product lines are worth knowing about, how it compares with other brands and which Gamblin sets and supplies currently available on Amazon suit different painters.
What Makes Gamblin Oil Paint Different
Pigment and oil, without unnecessary fillers
Gamblin’s Artist Grade colors are formulated with pure pigments in refined linseed oil. The Seascape set listing says no adulterants are used, so each color keeps its own character: some are transparent and glazing, others dense and opaque. That variety is part of what experienced painters value, though it means colors do not all handle the same way.
Consistency between tubes
Painters often say Gamblin colors are reliably consistent in body and color from batch to batch, which matters when you are matching a color across several sessions.
Studio safety focus
Gamblin is known for promoting safer studio practices. Gamsol, its odorless mineral spirits, is listed as safer for painters and the environment than turpentine. The company also makes solvent-free mediums for painters who want to avoid solvents entirely.
Modern product lines
Beyond the Artist Grade range, Gamblin is known for the 1980 Oil Colors (a more affordable line), FastMatte alkyd colors that dry quickly to a matte finish, Radiant colors (high-chroma tints) and Galkyd alkyd mediums. Each year the company also releases Torrit Grey, a free grey made from pigment collected by its air filtration system, a well-loved part of its environmental approach.
Gamblin Product Lines at a Glance
| Line | Who It Is For | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Artist Grade Oil Colors | Serious hobbyists and professionals | Pure pigments in refined linseed oil |
| 1980 Oil Colors | Students and budget-conscious painters | Lower cost, consistent working properties |
| FastMatte Alkyd Colors | Underpainting and fast layering | Dries faster to a matte finish |
| Radiant Colors | Painters wanting bright, clean tints | High-chroma light colors |
| Gamsol | Anyone using solvent | Odorless mineral spirits |
| Galkyd and solvent-free mediums | Glazing and controlling drying | Alkyd or solvent-free options |
Our Top Picks at a Glance
- Gamblin Artist Oil Colors Introductory Set (37 ml) — Best way to try Gamblin Artist Grade
- Gamblin Seascape Set (11 colors, 37 ml) — Best for landscape and marine painters
- Gamblin Gamsol Odorless Mineral Spirits (16.9 oz) — Best companion solvent
- Winsor & Newton Winton Basic Set (10 x 21 ml) — Best budget alternative to Gamblin
| Product | Best For | Key Spec | Key Strength | Price Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gamblin Introductory Set | First Gamblin set | 37 ml tubes, Artist Grade | American made, pigment-rich | $$$ |
| Gamblin Seascape Set | Seascapes, landscapes | 11 colors, 37 ml tubes | Curated blues, greens and earths | $$$ |
| Gamsol | Thinning and cleanup | 16.9 oz (500 ml) odorless mineral spirits | Safer than turpentine per listing | $$ |
| Winsor & Newton Winton Set | Budget practice | 10 x 21 ml tubes | Lightfast, intermixable | $$ |
How We Chose
We selected these products from the Amazon listing details checked in October 2026, focusing on what each set includes, how well it introduces Gamblin oil paint or supports using it, and how widely each product has been reviewed by Amazon buyers. Background facts about Gamblin come from well-established information about the company and its product lines. We have not painted with these specific sets ourselves.
- Relevance: genuine Gamblin products, plus one clear budget alternative.
- Set contents: color selection and tube size.
- Practical support: solvent for thinning and cleanup.
Best Gamblin Oil Paint Sets and Supplies Reviewed
1. Gamblin Artist Oil Colors Introductory Set — Best for trying Gamblin Artist Grade
The Introductory Set is Gamblin’s own starter collection of Artist Grade colors in 37 ml tubes. The listing describes luscious, intense, pigment-rich colors and emphasizes that the set is American made and sustainably produced, with a wood panel handcrafted in North America from sustainably forested birch.
For a painter who has used student paint, this set is a clear way to experience the difference in pigment strength: a little paint goes further, mixes stay cleaner and tints stay brighter. The color selection is designed to give a workable mixing palette rather than a pile of convenience colors.
Check the listing photos for the exact colors before buying, since contents can change.
Best suited for: painters moving up from student oils and anyone curious about Gamblin.
Key features:
- Gamblin Artist Grade oil colors
- 37 ml tubes
- Birch wood panel per listing
- American made
Pros:
- Professional pigment strength
- Mixing-friendly selection
- Trusted brand
Cons and limitations:
- Highest price tier
- Small tubes run out quickly on large work
Buying consideration: Buy a large tube of Titanium White separately; you will use more white than any other color.
2. Gamblin Seascape Professional Oil Set (11 colors) — Best for landscape and marine painting
This curated set includes Phthalo Blue, Yellow Ochre, Radiant Green, Cobalt Teal, Radiant Turquoise, Radiant Blue, Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna, Titanium White and Mars Black in 37 ml tubes. The listing notes the colors are produced under the close supervision of Robert Gamblin using pure pigments and refined linseed oil, with no adulterants.
The blues, teals and greens cover water and sky, while the earth colors handle sand, rocks and warm shadows. Radiant colors give high-chroma light tints that are especially useful for sunlit water and surf.
This is a bundle curated by the retailer, so it is not an official Gamblin set, but every tube is Gamblin Artist Grade.
Best suited for: seascape, coastal and landscape painters.
Key features:
- 11 Gamblin Artist Grade colors
- 37 ml tubes
- Includes Radiant Green, Turquoise and Blue
- Earths, Titanium White and Mars Black
Pros:
- Coherent palette for water and sky
- Includes Radiant tints
- Professional pigments
Cons and limitations:
- Highest price tier
- Retailer bundle rather than official set
Buying consideration: Use Cobalt Teal and Radiant Turquoise sparingly in light areas; they are strong and can dominate a mix.
3. Gamblin Gamsol Odorless Mineral Spirits (16.9 oz) — Best for a companion solvent
Gamsol is Gamblin’s odorless mineral spirit, sold here in a 16.9 oz (500 ml) bottle. The listing describes it as an excellent solvent for thinning mediums and general painting and as safer for painters, paintings and the environment than turpentine and harsher solvents.
Most oil painters use a solvent to thin early layers, mix mediums and rinse brushes. Gamsol is one of the most widely used options in home studios because of its low odor.
Best suited for: every oil painter who uses solvent.
Key features:
- 16.9 oz (500 ml)
- Odorless mineral spirits
- For thinning mediums and cleanup
Pros:
- Low odor
- Widely used in home studios
- Large bottle
Cons and limitations:
- Still a solvent: ventilate and keep lidded
- Not needed if you paint solvent-free
Buying consideration: Use a lidded brush-washer jar; the pigment settles to the bottom and you can pour off clean Gamsol to reuse.
4. Winsor & Newton Winton Oil Color Basic Set (10 x 21 ml) — Best for a budget alternative to Gamblin
If Gamblin Artist Grade is beyond your budget, Winton is a well-known student-grade line. The set includes 10 colors in 21 ml tubes, described as individually formulated, lightfast, permanent and intermixable with other brands.
Because it is intermixable, you can start with Winton and gradually replace your most-used colors with Gamblin tubes. Gamblin’s own 1980 line is another option in this price range.
Best suited for: beginners, students and practice painting.
Key features:
- 10 colors x 21 ml
- Lightfast and permanent
- Intermixable with other brands
Pros:
- Low cost
- Well-known brand
- Easy upgrade path
Cons and limitations:
- Student grade with lower pigment strength
- Small tubes
Buying consideration: Upgrade white and your two most-used colors first; it improves your mixes most.
Gamblin vs Other Oil Paint Brands
Gamblin is often compared with Holbein, Winsor & Newton Artists’, Old Holland and Williamsburg. In broad terms, Gamblin is valued for its consistency, clear labeling, modern alkyd products and safety focus, while other brands are known for their own strengths, such as particular pigments or buttery consistency. Our detailed comparison of Holbein vs Gamblin oil paint goes deeper, and we address the common question is Gamblin good oil paint separately. For a broader look, read our Gamblin oil paint reviews.
Buying Guide: How to Choose Gamblin Oil Paint
Decide between Artist Grade and 1980
Artist Grade has higher pigment strength and a wider color range. The 1980 line costs less and is designed for students and practice.
Build a limited palette first
A warm and cool version of each primary, plus Titanium White, Burnt Umber and an earth yellow, can mix almost everything. Add convenience colors later.
Choose tube size
37 ml tubes are fine for most colors. Buy white in 150 ml.
Consider drying time
FastMatte colors or Galkyd mediums speed drying for underpainting and layering. Standard oils give longer blending time.
Plan your solvent use
Use Gamsol for thinning and cleanup with good ventilation, or choose solvent-free mediums and brush soap if you want to avoid solvents.
Read the label
Gamblin labels list pigment information and opacity; use them to understand how each color will behave in mixes.
Building a Limited Gamblin Palette
Instead of buying a large set, many oil painters assemble a small palette of individual tubes. A classic split-primary palette gives you a warm and a cool version of each primary so you can mix clean secondaries:
- Titanium White: buy the largest tube you can.
- A warm yellow and a cool yellow: for example, a cadmium or hansa yellow medium and a lemon-type yellow.
- A warm red and a cool red: such as a cadmium red light and an alizarin-type crimson or quinacridone.
- A warm blue and a cool blue: Ultramarine Blue and Phthalo Blue (both in the Seascape set).
- Earths: Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna and Burnt Umber for natural, quick mixes.
From these, you can mix convincing greens, oranges, violets and a wide range of greys. Add convenience colors only when you find yourself mixing the same shade repeatedly. Gamblin’s labels show pigment codes, which helps you avoid buying two tubes with the same pigment under different names.
Safety and Ventilation With Oil Paint
Oil paint itself has a mild linseed smell; most of the fumes in an oil studio come from solvents. Keep solvent in a lidded container, use only as much as you need and ventilate the room with a window or fan. Wipe brushes on a rag before rinsing so less pigment goes into the solvent. Oil-soaked rags can heat up as they dry, so lay them flat to dry outdoors or store them in a sealed metal container filled with water before disposal. Some pigments, such as cadmiums and cobalts, should not be ingested or sanded, so wash hands after painting and avoid eating in the studio.
Storing Your Tubes
Wipe the thread of each tube before replacing the cap so it does not stick shut. Squeeze from the bottom and roll up the tube as you go. Store tubes at room temperature away from direct sun, and if a cap does seize, warm it briefly under hot water to loosen it.
Getting Started With Gamblin Oils
Block in thin layers with paint diluted by Gamsol, then build up with less solvent and more paint, following the “fat over lean” rule so upper layers are more flexible than lower ones. Try subjects that show off Gamblin’s clean color: our tutorials on painting fog in oil, painting grass in oil and painting a seashell in oil are good exercises.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Buying a large set of convenience colors instead of a balanced mixing palette.
- Using too much solvent in upper layers, breaking the fat-over-lean rule.
- Leaving Gamsol jars open, which wastes solvent and adds fumes.
- Mixing strong colors like Phthalo Blue too heavily; a little goes a long way.
- Running out of white mid-painting; buy a large tube.
- Varnishing too soon; let oils dry thoroughly first.
- Pouring used solvent down the sink instead of letting the pigment settle and disposing of the sludge properly.
FAQs
Is Gamblin oil paint good for beginners?
Yes, especially the 1980 line or a small Artist Grade set. Beginners benefit from the consistent working properties, and a limited palette keeps cost down.
Where is Gamblin oil paint made?
Gamblin is made in Portland, Oregon, and the Introductory Set listing describes it as American made.
What is Gamsol?
Gamsol is Gamblin’s odorless mineral spirits, used to thin paint and mediums and to clean brushes. Its listing describes it as safer than turpentine.
Is Gamblin better than Winsor & Newton?
Gamblin Artist Grade is a professional paint; Winsor & Newton Winton is student grade. Compared with Winsor & Newton’s professional line, the choice comes down to preference for specific colors and handling.
What is Gamblin 1980?
Gamblin 1980 Oil Colors are the company’s more affordable line, intended for students and practice painting.
What is Torrit Grey?
Torrit Grey is a grey oil paint Gamblin makes from pigment collected by its air filtration system. It is released for a limited time each year, and its exact color varies with the pigments captured.
How long does Gamblin oil paint take to dry?
Like other oil paints, drying depends on the pigment, layer thickness and conditions; thin layers are often touch-dry in a few days. FastMatte colors and Galkyd mediums speed things up considerably.
Can I mix Gamblin with other brands?
Yes. Oil paints are generally intermixable, and the Winton listing states it is intermixable with other brands.
Final Recommendation
If you want to experience Gamblin oil paint at its best, start with the Gamblin Artist Oil Colors Introductory Set, and add a large tube of Titanium White. Landscape and marine painters will get more from the Seascape set, with its blues, teals and Radiant tints. Every Gamblin painter who uses solvent should keep a bottle of Gamsol in a lidded jar. If cost is the main concern, start with Winsor & Newton Winton (or Gamblin’s own 1980 line) and replace key colors with Gamblin Artist Grade over time.
